Policing pesticides in produce

BY JULIE SEAMER
MONDAY, 13 AUGUST 2007

Studies have shown that there are over 500 chemicals in our bodies which weren't there 50 years ago.

Choice magazine has been calling for independent testing of levels. They say this in light of the fact that pesticides that were once thought to be safe have consequently been banned or restricted in use. We don't know for certain the dangers of many chemicals however the attitude seems to be 'launch first, worry later'.

Choice spokeswoman Clare Hughes said there's very little testing of fruit and vegetables on sale in Australian supermarkets and greengrocers. Most imported fruit and vegies escape the net altogether, and with increasing globalisation, fresh food imports are growing.

"Australia now imports fresh fruit and vegetables worth more than $180 million a year, some of it from countries known to have a less stringent approach than Australia to the use of agricultural chemicals. (Produce) from these countries may be contaminated with pesticides that either aren't permitted here or are at unsafe levels".

She noted that testing for residues (when they turn up in food, pesticides are called residues) is mostly left to the states. The ACT and Tasmania do no testing at all. The NSW Department of Primary Industry has a new testing program but only looks at local produce. The NT Department of Primary Industry only tests locally grown produce. The Queensland Department of Primary Industry regularly tests samples from suppliers but does no testing of produce from retail outlets so imported produce isn't tested. SA is currently doing no testing at all. Victoria regularly tests locally produced fruit and vegetables but doesn't take samples from retail outlets. In WA the Department of Health surveys fruit and vegetables every two to five years. The current survey is sampling from retail outlets, including supermarket chains.

Ms Hughes noted that they would like to see regular, systemic testing on a national basis, with greater testing of imported produce.

The Food Standards Association of the UK argue that by the time pesticide-sprayed food reaches the table, the chemicals are hardly a health risk. This belief could explain why governmental concern and therefore the policies set in place for testing aren't overly stringent.

The best way to minimise exposure to dangerous chemicals is to buy and eat organic.

A study in Seattle, USA analysed the urine of two groups of children. It found that eating organic fruits and vegetables protected children from the pesticides found in children eating non-organic foods. It has been suggested that children are more vulnerable to residues because their bodies absorb more toxins per kilo of body weight and their bodies are less able to break them down. Unfortunately no government testing is carried out on the impact of residues in children.